Nursing nipple



Dec 8, 1936 E. FERGUSON 2,063,424

NURSING NIPPLE Filed Dec. 1, 1934 FIG". 7

INVENTOR Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NURSING NIPPLE Elmer Ferguson, Spokane, Wash. Application December 1, 1934, Serial No. 755,599

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in a nursing nipple and comprises an orifice so designed as to automatically regulate the flow of food.

The orifice is adapted to vary in size in direct relation to the compression and suction applied by the mouth action of the infant.

Due to the novel structure and geometrical proportion of the invention, the function of the orifice is uniform in various positions of rotation relative to the mouth of the infant.

The principle of the invention may be applied to nipples of any shape, contour, or size, and the nipple may be attachable to the container in any suitable manner, these features being irrelevant to the present invention.

The accompanying drawing is illustrative of the principle of the invention and it will be understood that the intent of the claims extends to numerous structures to which the invention may be applied.

Fig. l is an elevation, partly in section, of a nippie embodying the principle of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section of Fig. 1 taken on the line 2-2.

Fig. 3 is a greatly enlarged view of the opposite side of Fig. 2 and discloses the radially disposed slots.

Fig. 4 shows theeifect of compression applied transversely of a slot.

Fig. 5 shows the efiect of compression applied in the radial direction of a slot.

Fig. 6 shows the invention applied to another type of nipple.

Fig. '2! shows a slight modification of Figure 2.

The prime purpose of the present invention is to provide a nipple which will assure an adequate flow of gruel and other viscous fluids when administered to infants by the conventional mode of bottle feeding.

After a certain age, infants require other foods than milk; and some of such foods, though liquid, are too viscous to pass readily through the conventional perforations of the usual nipple. There is no convenient and satisfactory manner of enlarging the perforations, nor of calibrating them proportionate to the food flow requirements of the infant. The present invention provides means for automatically regulating the food flow in direct relation to the requirements of the ini ant and the ability to consume the increased flow.

In carrying out my invention, I supplant the conventional perforations with a number of radial slits or slots, preferably the latter. These slits or slots are located at the tip of the nipple which may take various forms, as for instance, the forms shown in Figures 1 and 6. The nipple may be secured to the bottle or other container in any suitable manner, as for instance by the means shown at l and 2, which means are in general 5 use and well understood. Various other means may be employed for securing the nipple to the container, the principle of the present invention being the same in any event.

Figure 2 illustrates the slots 3, 4 and 5 radiating 10 from the axis of the tip of the nipple. This figure shows a section on the line 2--2 of Figure l and discloses the terminal hemisphere of the nipple, to which hemisphere the present invention is confined.

Figure 3 shows the exterior or said hemisphere, greatly enlarged, for convenience of illustration. As shown in Figure 3, the slots El, d and 5 are radially disposed and equally spaced. The experiments and experience of the inventor, conclusively prove that three slots are far more preferable than any other number of slots, as will be made unmistakably clear as the specification proceeds. Obviously, three equally spaced radiating slots, form angles of degrees with each other; and this attribute is of paramount importance to the present invention.

Referring to Figure 3, wherethe slot 9 is horizontal and forms an angle of 120 degrees with each of the slots d and 5 respectively; it will be 30 obvious that the slot d and the slot 5 are each inclined 30 degrees from vertical position. It will be readily understood that when the nipple is rotated 30 degrees, either the slot t or. the slot 5 will be positioned vertical, depending upon the direction of rotation. Obviously, when the slot 5 is vertical, (Fig. 2) the slots 3 and d are each inclined 30 degrees from horizontal; and likewise when the slot d is vertical, (as will be apparent from Fig. 7) the slots 9 and h are each inclined 30 degrees from horizontal. Plainly, in any position of rotation, one of said slots will invariably be within 15 degrees of either vertical position, or horizontal position, as the case may be; and it will be obvious that such slight variations from the direction of compression, will not, to any appreciable extent, afiect the result of compression, illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

In the utilization of the invention, the nipple is of course positioned between the jaws of the 5 infant; and obviously, closure of the infant's jaws will compress the nipple from above and below, with the result that the slots will gape in the manner illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, depending upon the rotation of the nipple relative to the 55 Jews of the infant. Figure 4 shows the effect of horizontal compression when one of the slots is horizontal and Figure 5 shows the effect of horizontal compression when one of the slots is vertical. As previously explained, in any position of rotation, one of the slots will invariably be within 15 degrees of either vertical position or horizontal position, and it will be readily understood that such slight variance from the illustrated positions will not alter the effect of compression, to appreciable extent.

From this comprehensive description, it will be readily understood, that when the nipple is applied to a bottle containing liquid food; the normal jaw action of the infant in the act of nursing, will regulate the size of the orifice and consequently the flow of food. It will be seen from the illustrations, particularly Figure 3, that the intersecting slots 3, 4 and 5, form an equal number of flaps therebetween; and it will be readily understood that when the infant sucks upon the nipple, these flaps will normally flex outward, which of course enlarges the orifice accordingly.

Normally, the act of nursing is a series of movements of the jaws, cheeks and tongue, sucking being supplemented by repeated grasping of the nipple between the jaws of the infant. It will be readily understood that the improved orifice of the present invention, responds to the sucking action, as well as to compression between the infant's jaws, and that in this manner the fiow of food is regulated in direct proportion to the vigor of the nursing.

It will be seen that the improved orifice as illustrated, is sufficient to assure adequate flow of viscous food, and it will be plain that the size of the orifice is compensated by the vigor of nursing. The food requirements, the ability to consame food, and the vigor of nursing, increase with growth of the infant; and it will be plain, that the present invention regulates the flow of food in direct relation to the vigor of nursing and the ability to consume the increased flow.

Primarily, the invention is intended for use with viscous foods and has been so illustrated and described. However, the invention may be adapted for use with milk or the like, which fiows more freely. when so adapted, the invention is identical, except that slits are employed in precisely the same manner as the slots 3, l and 5. That is to say, the described slots are made with no appreciable width, so that when the nipple is uncompressed, the aforementioned flaps are in contact; the slits being made appropriately shorter, so as to provide a more restricted flow of food. Where the slots are supplanted by slits, a central perforation 6 is provided for the ingress of air, the slits radiating from said perforation in the manner shown in Figure 'l.

Nipples are usually made of rubber, and in the case of the conventional perforations, fiexure and compression of the nipple during the act of nursing, lessens the caliber of the perforations, more or less, depending upon the thickness of the perforated material and the extent of such distortion; while similar distortion enlarges the orifice of the present invention. Plainly, in the case of the conventional perforations, the usual distortions necessitate additional sucking to produce the required flow; while with the present invention, the usual distortions and normal sucking, each enhance the flow of food. Therefore, when the invention is applied to nipples for feeding milk and the like, the flow is more comparable to the human breast, it being generally known that milk flows quite freely from the human breast and from a greater multiplicity of orifices than the number of perforations generally employed in nursing nipples.

The described slits, or slots, are more susceptible of thorough cleansing than the conventional perforations generally employed in nursing nippies, and are therefore more sanitary. It will of course be understood that the slots or slits. as the case may be, are of appropriate dimensions for the intended purpose, so as to assure the proper flow of food.

The inventor has reduced the invention to practice and demonstrated its advantage in a thoroughly satisfactory manner, a number of nipples embodying the principle of the invention, being in actual use at the present time.

In the operation of 'my improved nipple, it will be readily understood that the central perforation 6 shown in Figure 7 is constantly open and that no amount of either compression or distortion can possibly close this vent 6. Suckling must of necessity be in the ratio of respiration; that is to say, there must necessarily be a temporary secession or abeyance of deglutition during the period of each exhalation and each inhalation; and it-is during these periods of abeyance that the vent 8 functions to admit air to the bottle to which the nipple is attached. Obviously, it is essentially necessary that the pressure within the bottle to which the nipple is attached, should be frequently equalized with the external atmospheric pressure, otherwise the flow of liquid would cease and also the nipple would collapse. The collapsing of nipples is a most prevalent fault and it is by the use of the constantly open vent in combination with the flaps that the present invention eliminates this fault.

During these periods of abeyance the nipple will sometimes be more or less compressed between the jaws of the infant, and were the slits and flaps not present, the caliber of the perforation would be greatly lessened by the distortion caused by such compression and the ingress of air would be insuihcient. At other times the jaws of the infant will relax and there will be no compression of the nipple, and then in the absence of the vent 6 there could be no ingress of air, due to the fact that the fiaps are in contact when the nipple is not compressed. The slits, flaps and vent combined assure a positive ingress of air at each period of abeyance and it will be readily understood that neither the contacting flaps alone, nor the vent alone, will suflice for frequently equalizing the pressure within the bottle, which frequent equalization is a prime necessity for an even regulation of the flow of liquid from the bottle.

It will be readily understood that when the slits are replaced by slots having the same width as the perforation 6 the result will be as shown in Figure 2. As previously made clear, no amount of either compression or distortion can possibly close the slots 3, 4, 5, and it will be readily understood that when these slots are employed for viscous liquid that there will be the same frequency of equalizing the pressure within the bottle as has just been explained relative to the combined vent and slits.

In the invention herein disclosed, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A nursing nipple embodying an orifice formed by a number of intersecting slots.

ally disposed slots through the tip thereof, whereby an equal number oi. flaps are formed between said slots, said slots being adapted to gape upon compression of the nipple and said flaps being adapted to yield outwardlyby external suction upon the nipple; whereby the orifice of said nipple is enlarged by compression of the nipple and by external suction thereon, in the usual act of infant feeding.

4. A nursing nipple having a variable orifice, formable by the flexure and distortion of the tip of the nipple, said tip embodying triple flaps formed by equally spaced, radially disposed slots.

5. A nursing nipple having an orifice variable by the flexure and distortion of the tip of the nipple, said tip embodying triple flaps formed by equally spaced, radially disposed slots; whereby when the nipple is compressed in the act of nursing, said. flaps will distort and form a gaping orifice; and whereby said flaps will respond to the sucking act of nursing, thereby temporarily enlarging said orifice.

6. A nursing nipple embodying a tip formed by flaps having their free ends centrally disposed towards an orifice, said flaps being capable of distortion and capable of outward flexure to enlarge said orifice.

7. A nursing nipple having a constantly open axial vent in the tip thereof and slits radiating from said vent, thereby forming a number of flaps capable of distortion by the act or nursing, whereby an orifice is formed between said flaps, and whereby sucking will outwardly flex said flaps and temporarily enlarge said orifice.

8. A nursing nipple embodying a tip formed by flaps having their free ends centrally disposed and normally forming a passage for fluid, said flaps being adapted to distort to enlarge said fluid passage and also adapted to outward flexure to enlarge said fluid passage.

9. A nursing nipple having a constantly open vent in the tip thereof, said vent being formed by flaps having their free ends centrally disposed, said flaps being adapted to distort and to flex outward to thereby enlarge said vent.

10. A nursing nipple having a tip embodying adjacent triple flaps formed by equally spaced slots radiating from the axis of the tip of the nipple, the adjacent edges of said flaps being parallel, said flaps being adapted to distort by compression and form between adjacent flaps a gaping orifice with non-parallel sides, said flaps adapted to flex outward in response to external suction and thereby intermittently enlarge said gaping orifice in a regulatory manner in response to the variations of compression and suction during the act of nursing.

11. A nursing nipple embodying a tip formed by triple flaps having adjacent edges spaced. apart and apexescentrally disposed and spaced apart, said flaps adapted. to distort transversely upon compression of the nipple to form an elongated gaping oriflce longitudinally disposed in the general direction of compression, and said flaps being adapted to flex outward in response to external suction, thereby to enlarge said gaping orifice.

12. A nursing nipple embodying a tip having walls of uniform thickness throughout and perforated by radially disposed triple slots forming triple flaps extending to the outer end of the respective slots, said flaps being of uniform size and adapted to distort transversely upon compression of the nipple to form an elongated gaping orifice longitudinally disposed in the general direction of compression, and said flaps being adapted to flex outward in response to external suction, thereby to enlarge said gaping orifice.

ELMER FERGUSON. 

